Capturing creativity: how teachers can use photography to make classes exciting
Iqbal Mohamed
In today’s digitally connected world, incorporating photography into your classroom can be a powerful way to engage and excite students. Photography not only adds a creative element to your teaching but also promotes critical thinking, observation skills, and self-expression. Whether you’re a science teacher documenting experiments or an English teacher exploring visual storytelling, integrating photography can make your class more dynamic and memorable.
Teachers can also use photography to connect classroom learning to the real world. Encourage students to take their cameras or smartphones outside to document their surroundings. They can capture images that relate to what they are studying, such as plants for biology or historic landmarks for history class. This hands-on approach helps students see the relevance of their studies and fosters a deeper appreciation for the subject. Let’s explore how teachers can use photography to captivate and inspire their students.
Photos courtesy: Light & Life Academy
Personal photo narratives
Students can embark on a journey of self-expression by capturing images that define their lives. They can take photographs that reflect significant aspects of their daily experiences. Following this, students can share their photos with their peers and engage in discussions about the stories behind each image. This activity not only fosters self-reflection but also encourages students to practise their storytelling skills both verbally and in writing. This is an excellent way to get students to describe how they feel, and can be good practice for creative writing.
Visual storytelling
Another important aspect to consider when writing stories and essays is storytelling. Encourage students to create their narratives by taking a series of photographs that tell a story. Whether inside or outside the classroom, students can use photography as a medium to craft stories that ignite their imagination and creativity. This exercise allows students to explore the art of storytelling from a visual perspective and then articulate it in words. Also, when assigning writing essays, have students add photographs to enhance their message; photo essays are a unique way to emphasize an author’s purpose and text structure.
In a literature class, students can employ photography as a creative tool for interpreting and visually representing key themes or scenes from a novel, enabling them to analyze both from the perspective of a writer and a reader. For instance, they can delve into questions like why the author opted for the viewpoint of a child rather than an adult. Through photographs, students can dissect the photographer’s choices, such as the framing of a shot or the emphasis of the object or subject, and explore the implications of choices like using a black and white filter. The same analysis can be applied to the photographs taken by the students in class, allowing them to tell their own story.
These projects not only make learning enjoyable but also promote self-expression and critical thinking as students analyze how images convey meaning.
Exploration through art
Challenge students to explore the world through their lenses by capturing artistic or intriguing photos outside of class. This activity not only hones their observation skills but also encourages them to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of their surroundings. Students can then present and discuss their chosen images, sharing their perspectives on the artistry behind each photo.
Art classes can become more enjoyable when students transition from photography to painting their own captured moments. It’s fascinating to witness the diverse interpretations each individual brings to their photographs, resulting in many distinct visual representations, that are, connected by a common underlying concept or idea.
Collaborative portraits
Promote teamwork and communication by having students work in pairs or groups to photograph each other. Each student acts as both the photographer and the subject, directing poses and angles to achieve specific effects. This exercise not only enhances their interpersonal skills but also sparks discussions on how photography influences perception.
Along with team work, students are taught to give clear instructions to achieve the result they desire. This helps students build their confidence and ability to express their ideas clearly.
Documenting field trips
When students embark on field trips or visits, encourage them to document their experiences through photography. These visual records can be valuable for later classroom discussions and presentations. Students can reflect on their outings by discussing the captured images, thereby strengthening their communication skills.
For instance, in environmental science, students can document local ecosystems or pollution issues in their communities. In mathematics, they can capture examples of geometric shapes in their neighbourhoods. This hands-on approach helps students see the practical relevance of their studies and fosters a deeper appreciation for the subject.
Enhancing descriptive writing
Combine the power of photography with descriptive writing exercises. Assign students to describe a particular place or individual, then task them with taking photographs that complement their written descriptions. This integrated approach helps students refine their descriptive writing skills and encourages them to consider the visual elements of their compositions.
Incorporating photography into the classroom not only makes learning more exciting but also fosters creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication. It allows students to observe the world with a fresh perspective, opening up endless possibilities for exploration and self-expression. Embracing the visual medium of photography is a dynamic way to make education relevant and inspiring for students.
Photographic records in science
In the realm of science education, photography serves as a valuable tool for offering detailed insights into various natural phenomena. One practical application is in tracking and documenting the growth of plants and animals. Through the lens of a camera, students can capture the intricate stages of development, from a seedling pushing through the soil to a fully bloomed flower, or from the birth of an animal to its maturation. These photographic records not only provide a visual narrative but also offer a means to closely observe and analyze the changes that occur over time.
Moreover, photography proves to be indispensable when it comes to studying the decay of organic materials, such as bread. By taking photographs at regular intervals, students can create a visual timeline showcasing the gradual decomposition process. These images become a powerful educational resource, enabling learners to grasp the concept of decay and decomposition, an essential aspect of biological sciences.
Teaching empathy and perspective
We can help students understand empathy and perspective by using photographs. Whether we’re displaying existing pictures or having students take their own, photos are a great way to show why seeing things from different angles is important.
Students can try taking pictures from below an object, above it, up close, or from a distance, among other approaches. When students share their photos with classmates, they can discuss how something, like a spider, might seem very scary when viewed up close, but from a distance, it’s actually harmless.
Thematic photography
Challenge students to select a specific theme, and then have them capture images that align with that theme. Whether it’s “nature’s beauty,” or “family traditions,” students are asked to capture images that align with the chosen theme. This exercise encourages students to think critically about the relationship between their photographs and the chosen theme. Subsequently, students can share and discuss their collections, fostering analytical thinking and creativity.
This activity can be applied to any subject, dissecting animals for biology class, travel photos for geography class. or other themes could include colours, numbers, letters, patterns, geometric shapes, plants, etc. Through thematic photography, students develop a deeper understanding of how visual elements contribute to the storytelling process and convey complex ideas and emotions.
In essence, when educators harness the power of photography, they transcend traditional teaching methods to offer students a richer, multi-sensory learning experience. By weaving vivid imagery into the tapestry of their lessons, teachers craft narratives that not only inform but also deeply resonate, sparking curiosity and fostering lasting connections to the material.
The camera, in this innovative educational landscape, morphs into more than just a passive instrument. It becomes a dynamic bridge, seamlessly linking the abstract realm of imagination with the tangible world of reality. This synthesis of visual storytelling and academic content encourages students to engage on a deeper level, allowing them to visualize concepts, empathize with historical and cultural contexts, and actively participate in their own learning journey.
Ultimately, the integration of photography in education underscores the profound potential of blending art with instruction, emphasizing that true learning is as much about feeling and seeing as it is about knowing.
The author is a renowned professional photographer, educator, and founder of Light & Life Academy (https://llacademy.org/). His career spans decades, marked by a passion for capturing memorable images of a wide range of subjects and genres. Through his journey, he seeks to inspire and guide aspiring photographers to embrace the world of visual storytelling. He can be reached at https://iqbalmohamed.com/.
